The present invention relates, in general, to an innerspring assembly, and more particularly to an innerspring assembly of a type having a plurality of interconnected springs arranged to form adjoining rows of springs and to provide a resting area for a user.
Innerspring assemblies of this type, preferably pocketed spring cores, are configured to date in such a manner that the resting area, provided by the adjoining rows, is planar throughout regardless whether or not it is exposed to a load. Such conventional innerspring assemblies are, however, unsuitable to meet the demands as far as the comfort of the spring support is concerned. For one, the mattress containing the innerspring assembly should allow particular body areas to softly sink in before a firmer support becomes effective.
Although attempts were made, to provide certain softness through application of paddings, such upholstering of the mattress is still unsuitable to satisfy the demands in the broadest sense, especially since elasticity of such an upholstery is not comparable with a spring system.
German Pat. No. DE 297 22 598 U1 discloses an innerspring assembly which describes the arrangement of springs of different height in the individual rows in order to attempt to achieve an improved resting comfort. However, the use of springs of different height alters the spring characteristic and generally leads to an unsatisfactory result. Furthermore, the manufacture of such an innerspring assembly is cumbersome and difficult.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved innerspring assembly to obviate prior art shortcomings and to improve the resting comfort while still keeping the manufacturing process as simple as possible.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an innerspring assembly includes a plurality of interconnected spring having a same height and arranged to form adjoining rows to provide a resting area, wherein at least several of the rows of springs are arranged in relation to the respectively neighboring rows offset in height.
As a consequence of this configuration of an innerspring assembly according to the present invention, a very sensitive spring support is realized by which the surface of the innerspring assembly has a feel of extreme softness. Protruding body areas are able to initially sink in deeper into the mattress. As soon as the relatively lower situated rows are reached, the additional spring force can support the recumbent person in an optimal manner. As a result, a progressive spring force is realized which provides a remarkable recuperation, for example of the spine. The progressive spring behavior is based on the application of a greater counterforce, as the weight increases.
The offset spring arrangement effects at the same time that the innerspring assembly is able to contour to the body in a particularly good way, thereby also contributing to an enhancement of the comfort.
According to another feature of the present invention, the springs of different rows may have varying hardness, which can be realized through respective selection of wire strength, use of different spring diameters or wire hardness. This creates the possibility to manufacture with the assistance of such an inner spring assembly a so-called reversible mattress which can optionally be used on one side or the other side.
In general, there is the option to arrange only a portion of the rows in non-offset height relationship to the neighboring rows, i.e., several rows in one plane, in relation to the user side, may be projecting or lowered to thereby establish a so-called multizone configuration which can be contoured to certain body areas, possibly in combination with differently configured springs, as described.